Pagham Beach update

I woke this morning to sunshine and blue sky...a real contrast to yesterday! The tide was out so I took the opportunity to use  the good light to capture the current situation on the beach. The following photographs were taken between 9.00a.m. and 9.45 a.m.
For any of my blog followers who live on the beach you will recognise from where the photos were taken but those who don't frequent the beach too often, an explanation may be helpful. For those who only visit infrequently or annually Pagham Beach will be  virtually unrecognisable! The changes to the beach profile and the whole landscape can change from one day to the next.
The first photograph is taken in front of the last beach bungalow at the far west end of West Front Road, looking west from the dividing posts to the RSPB reserve.

Walking along to the new shingle 'blockage' and looking eastwards, the enclosed new lagoon can best be seen.

When turning 180 degrees and looking west from this position the main outlet from the harbour can be seen.

 This is a closer view from the same spot showing another bank of shingle splitting the outflow.


 However a new breach has occurred in the past week which now allows the sea at mid tide to flow into the lagoon and during each tide the breech gets deeper and a little wider.

 This becomes a rushing torrent as the tide ebbs and flows and whilst it was possible to walk along the spit at all states of the tide, this is now impossible.

The force with which the water enters the lagoon has created a kind of 'lava flow' effect as can be seen above.

Shot taken on the 'lava flow' looking north.

From a little further back looking west.

An 'indentation' slightly to the east of previous picture.

This is at the far east end of the  new lagoon which is now bounded by shingle and effectively sealed the east end.

Another shot a little further to the east

This shot and the next one show how the beach has changed and the shingle bank  that has been created. This one looking eastwards towards groynes one and two.

....and this one looking back...westwards, again highlighting the shingle build up to the east of the new lagoon.

Finally looking from the far eastern end (groyne 3 now disappeared).

There is various speculation as to what nature will do next...will the new inlet to this lagoon seal up of its own accord or will a storm break through the shingle bank? Who knows!

                                             The end (for now) !